• This is considered to be the first true “cliffhanger” serial. Many early serials were more like what would today be called a series – each episode’s story was self-contained. However, each episode of this serial had a suspenseful ending (i.e., a “cliffhanger”), and viewers had to return to the theatre to watch the next chapter and see how the characters escaped the danger in which they were left.
• The chapter titles were: – 1. The Unwelcome Throne – 2. The Two Ordeals – 3. The Temple of the Lion – 4. The Royal Slave – 5. A Colonel in Chains – 6. Three Bags of Silver – 7. The Garden of Brides – 8. The Cruel Crown – 9. The Spellbound Multitude – 10. The Warrior Maid – 11. The Forged Parchment – 12. The King’s Will – 13. The Court of Death
• The first episode was released in three reels. Subsequent episodes were two reels each.

In order to save the world, Johnny Dow must discover the magic power in an old electric guitar and use it to defeat his best friend and an army of kung-fu demons.

Insulting to real martial arts films. Not even deserving of a title asa parody… it wasn't funny at all. I consider it to be more of anabomination of poop and urine. It seemed like I was watching an amateuraudition tape for a low-quality zombie movie whose plot was written bya very imaginative 8 year old. It is deemed more worthy of being onYouTube than on DVD.

You're better off downloading it, or better yet, don't watch it at all.I find staring at a brick wall more exciting than this 'movie'.

D+ for effort though.

2) This was a thoroughly enjoyable mix of genres – lots of unexpected (butcarefully planned) laughs and jolts. The camera work and direction aretop notch and the performances very even and pleasing.

While some of it could be labeled parody, the writing/directing seemscompletely aware of the demands of the genres and knows when to wink atthem and when to treat them seriously. As a viewer, I felt totallycomfortable during "the ride."

The fight in the alleyway is a standout, as is all of the stunt work,actually. Careful planning is evident, but nothing looks stagy ormechanical.

All in all, a very satisfying couple of hours in the dark.

3) I spend a lot of my time watching television and movies and a lot oftimes i cant think of what to watch. action, adventure, comedy, horror,suspense, or thriller. I love it when i get to watch a movie like thisone that has it all, and man they did a great job of mixing in just theright amount of each genre, especially the comedy. suddle enough not toturn the movie into a pure comedy but enough to make you laugh outloud. I also love the casting, i see a lot of greats in the cast list,no wonder it came out so well. I almost didn't want the movie to end.well maybe the writer/director will give us a sequel! This is adefinite must see movie.

4) If you're waking up in the morning and tired of watching bad re-runs ofPower Rangers…this is a good alternative. The imaginative tale ofKung Fu, Comedy, Demons & Rock-Billy is fused quite well.

The story begins with an ancient Chinese Demon trapped for centuriesand released in a small soon to be ghost town. Johnny Tao is young kiddealing with pressures of taking care of his brother and struggling inan economically crushed town. The only thing keeping him going iswatching/studying classic Kung Fu films. Now you have Demons running amock…so what is a teen too do?….Kick some ass.

This mixer keeps the movie going and enjoyable to watch. Recommendchecking it out with your kids.

5) I liked the simplicity and clarity of the story, the story-telling, andthe fight sequences. In an age where it seems like every film iscomputer generated and you're never sure if your watching the actors ora computer geek in Silicone Valley's work, it was refreshing to see afilm that went back to the basics. I liked the characters and caredabout their plight, the story kept moving and had a number ofsurprises, and I wasn't bombarded with images my children couldn'twatch. There needs to be more films like this. I simply enjoyedwatching this film and hope more film-makers go back to the basics.This is a perfect example of the fact that it is the "steak" we want,not the "sizzle". Johnny Tao is a really nice piece of steak.

6) This movie is just fun. Not pretentious, no deep messages, no agendaother than being entertaining. A little formulaic, but sometimes it'sfun to know what is going to happen. And enough surprises to keep youpaying attention. Fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will feelright at home, with the action and even some of the costumingreminiscent of those movies and Saturday morning shows. No turtles, butthe flavor is there. Maybe because the writer/director Kenn Scott wasone of the original Turtles (Raphael)?

Kelly Perine was excellent! (bias alert: his sister is a friend of ourfamily) Classic comedy and some great lines and action moves. Thisis a must see movie for families or anyone that wants a good actionflick, without all the attitude and vulgarity that seems to besprinkled in most movies of this type. Pure entertainment that doesn'ttry to be anything more.

Grab some popcorn and enjoy!

7) This film has some great fight sequences! I especially like the one inthe diner. Rivals anything I have seen.Mike Gunther and Marcus Younghave done a great job. Director Ken Scott keeps the film moving andmakes sure to keep the fun tone throughout. This film is outstanding ,especially because it was made independently. these fight sequencesmust have taken days to choreograph and it shows on screen, it's isamazing that they were able to pull it off with a modest budget. Thestory line is great – magic power is an electric guitar, Kung-fuDeamons and the old "good vs. Evil" all make this film easy to watch.It is definitely a popcorn movie and plain fun. Don't take it tooseriously and ENJOY!

I loved the film! It is something I can bring my kid brothers to andthe best action I have seen in kids film since ninja turtles (the firstone).

Great Cast- all of the actors really played their roll well. I wouldhave liked to have seen more of bucky, because he was really funny butyou will never miss it. Kelly Perine is great comic relief. He is justone funny dude.

The music is a great throw back to rockabilly era. Nice selecion verydifferent.

Over all great family action movie. Never a dip in the action or story,no one wanted to stop and get pop corn and there was even a few momentsthat made us all jump. This movie needs to blow up so more people cansee it. It is a fun movie.

9) I saw this movie last year and loved it. It was an unexpected mix ofeastern spirituality, morality play, slapstick and love. Great familyfare or for those who love the real action of martial arts that are notcomputer generated. The story moved along engaging your heqrt and mindwhile amusing. Although the majority of the cast is not widely knowntheir talent speaks for themselves. All the technical components arethere in spades. Wonderful music, lightening that enhances the martialarts and direction with a deft and knowing eye. In the end it is asimple story of good over evil but told from a unique and intriguingmanner.

10) I really thought this movie was a lot of fun. It was very enjoyable andentertaining. The characters were kooky, funny, and lovable. The actionscenes were very well done without excessive violence (if I can saythat about a Kung Fu Action movie), and the comedy was a very smarttongue-in-cheek style.

It's also a great wholesome family movie. I don't see why parents wouldnot love an action movie that's funny without any cursing or grosslanguage and the kids will love it even more. The filmmaker (KennScott) deserves a round of applause for a job well done. Thanks forthis movie.

2) A fast paced, short (one hour) film. It is one of those "B" films fromWarner Brothers in the 1930’s and it is very enjoyable. The lead actress,Rosella Towne, is quite good in the lead role. Wonder why she never made itbig in Hollywood? One will never know.The plot is as old as the hills, all about a female newspaper reporter onthe trail of jewel smugglers, but this is a still a treat towatch.I recommend this little film!!

3) Rosella Towne wears clothes beautifully, moves well, is pretty, and hasgreat comic timing. Why had I never heard of her before this turned up andwhat happened to her career?

This is an entertaining romantic comic newspaper crime story. Maris Wrixonis a chic bad girl who reforms a little late and James Stephenson, alwaysgood, is conniving as the heart throb of a smuggler/killer.

But it’s Towne’s movie.l And three cheers for her!

2):
Disney brings animated versions of 2 literary works to the screen here. The first is ‘The Adventures of Mr. Toad’, based on the characters from Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’. The second is based on Washinton Irving’s masterpiece ‘The Headless Horseman’, in which schoolteacher Ichabod Crane, smitten with Katrina Van Tassel, attends a party hosted by her father. Town thug Brom Bones, who also has his eye on Katrina, tries to intimidate Ichabod with the chilling story of ‘The Headless Horseman’, a ghost of a soldier in the revolutionary war who lost his head in a fight. When Ichabod rides home through Sleepy Hollow late at night, he finds himself confronted by the Headless Horseman who wants Ichabod’s head for himself! Will Ichabod escape the terrifying, sword-wielding ghost….or will the Headless Horseman claim Ichabod’s head for himself?

• The two segments featured herein were subsequently released as independent featurettes on video.
• Disney’s original title for the movie was, “Two Fabulous Characters.” Apparently, the only reason these two stories are linked together is the fact that their main characters are “prone to disaster”.
• In “The Wind in the Willows”, Angus MacBadger tells Ratty and Mole that something has to be done about Toad as he’s spending too much money. This was a sly dig at Roy O. Disney who was always complaining to the animators about his brother Walt Disney for spending too much money.
• During the Ichabod tale, the title character is frightened by some reeds whistling in the wind. The same drawings were first used in the Disney short The Old Mill (1937).
• Rat describes Toad’s latest obsession as “Motor Mania”. This is the title of a classic Goofy short which would be released the following year (Motor Mania (1950)).
• To save money on animation, Katrina was modeled closely after Grace Martin from Make Mine Music (1946). She also greatly resembles Slue Foot Sue from the “Pecos Bill” segment of “Melody Time.”
• Disney composer Oliver Wallace voices Mr. Winky.
• One of Disney’s four “Package Films”. During World War II the studio lost a lot of manpower and resources, which left it with countless unfinished ideas too long for shorts and too short for features. So, inventive as Disney was, it stuck short ideas together into feature-length movies. See also Make Mine Music (1946), Melody Time (1948) and Fun & Fancy Free (1947).
• Thurl Ravenscroft was originally going to sing “The Headless Horseman”.
• There was a legend that said that one animator stopped worked on “The Wind In the Willows” to join the Army during World War II and then returned four years later to continue work on the exact same film sequence.

• Continuity: When Ichabod is in his bed, writting in his book with a feather pen, his shadow can be seen in the wall next to him, but the pen’s shadow is missing.
• Continuity: When Mr. Toad first sees a motorcar, his trousers change from grey to orange between shots.
• Continuity: Immediately after Katrina distracts Brom in the midst of punching Ichabod, Brom punches a tree trunk instead. While the frame vibrates from impact, Brom’s coon-skin hat vanishes in thin air.

• Continuity: When Brom Bones grabs the barrel of ale, the side with the corked hole is pointed away from him. When the camera moves to show him pulling the cork out it is suddenly facing him.
• Factual errors: When Mr. Rat receives a letter he says thank you postman, but Mr Rat is British and in England they say Mailman

The first story, a severely truncated excerpt from The Wind in theWillows, follows the exploits of a slightly nutty Mr. Toad whogallivants around the countryside in a yellow gypsy cart pulled by asinging nag from ‘oop north’ called Cyril. Not quite sure Toad can beheld up as a role model for kids as he gets high inhaling exhaust fumesfrom passing cars and runs up enormous debts in his pursuit of a lifeof excitement. And we can only wonder whether his impersonation of amotor car was the forerunner of the Crazy Frog motorbike routine thatswept the British nation earlier this year. The story drags a little,although it will probably be engaging enough for younger children, andit’s worth sticking with to see the tussle for the deed to Toad Hallthat takes place between Toad and his friends and the wicked Winkie andhis weasel pals.

The second entry, based on Washington Irving’s The Legend of SleepyHollow is a much livelier affair with some terrific animation and aconsistently humorous storyline. Ichabod Crane makes an unlikelyleading man, falling foul of Brom Bones, ringleader of the SleepyHollow boys at Ye Olde Schnooker and Schnapps Shoppe, as he attempts towin the hand of the fair Katrina. Ichabod is wonderfully drawn,especially his facial features, and there’s a hilarious dance sequencebetween him and Bones. I also liked Ichabod’s tired old nag, sittingobliviously with his backside parked on a gravestone as Ichabodfrantically tries to work him up to a gallop. Good stuff.

2) Finally Walt Disney Home Video has got their act together andreleased"The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" in its entirety (the two storieshave been available in separate forms for quite some time). I’ll admitthatthe clunky title doesn’t inspire much more enthusiasm than it did back in1949 (the film tanked, from what I’ve heard), but I hope some people willgive this a chance just based on the Disney name."The Wind in the Willows", narrated by Basil Rathbone, is adelightfully comic adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s classic novel, keepingthe proper British tone (children may not get some of the UK slang used)while still remaining a lot of fun. The highlight is the courtroom scene,featuring a bullying prosecutor (voiced by Disney animator/voice artistJohnMcLeish, who also narrated the Goofy "How to" shorts) going toe-to-toewitha wonderfully insolent Toad (a great performance by EricBlore)."The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", based on a story (not a novel, as thefilm suggests) by Washington Irving, is even better, making the most ofitsAmerican colonial setting with some especially interesting layouts andbackgrounds. The humor found in the rivalry between schoolteacher IchabodCrane and local roughneck Brom Bones for the hand of the manipulativetease("coquette", in the film) Katrina von Tassel is some of Disney’s best.TheHalloween sequence leading up to the Headless Horseman’s appearance is themost skillfully directed piece of animation I have ever seen outside of"Fantasia", conveying a magnificent sense of dread through both sound (thechilling echo of whistling and laughter, crickets chanting Ichabod’s name,frogs croaking "headless horseman" over and over) and image (firefliesinside a tree trunk forming the eyes of a shrouded ghost, Ichabod’ssweaty,nervous terror, the subtle cloud effect of hands closing over the moon).This is far more frightening than any horror film I haveseen.All in all, a smart (listen to the narration and learn some newvocabulary words) film in every way. One final note: I have not seen thisfilm in years (I saw it plenty of times on The Disney Channel during the1980s), and I noticed the many scenes involving both alcohol and weapons,particularly in "The Wind and the Willows" segment. I accepted the scenesback then as a child and had no problem with them now, thanks to thegeneraltone of the picture. Although the concept of Toad being restrained fromblasting a bayonet-wielding weasel with a shotgun and seeing Toad and hisfriends running from various flying knives, swords, and axes sounds likesomething to stay away from, it is all harmless fun. Give it a chance.

3) Made at the end of the first age of Disney animation, "The Adventures ofIchabod and Mr. Toad" consists of two separate animated adaptations ofclassic stories. The Ichabod of the title is Ichabod Crane from "The Legendof Sleepy Hollow", and the Mr. Toad is J. Thaddeus Toad from the "Wind inthe Willows". Each is short, running only about 35 minutes apiece, and isnarrated by top of the line actors, Basil Rathbone doing the honors for "TheWind in the Willows", and Bing Crosby for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". I’ve not read either story so can’t judge the adaptations accuracy, but itdoesn’t matter. Both stories are highly entertaining, and if you like theold school Disney animation, you won’t be disappointed.

4) From English and American literature come two fabulous characters whowill forever excite readers with THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR.TOAD.

This was the last of Disney's compilation or anthology films – a formnecessitated by the exigencies of the War years – and is actually adouble featurette. Both halves would eventually be spun off intoindividual short subjects and work very well independently of eachother. Their connections are quite tenuous: besides featuring 'fabulouscharacters' each story showcases a celebrated wild ride – one of whichwould, indeed, provide a long-lasting 'dark show' attraction atDisneyland.

First up is THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, which gives a drasticallyshortened & much revised view of Kenneth Grahame's classic book,focusing entirely on the chapters dealing with the exploits of themarvelous Mr. Toad and the troubles arising from his fixation withmotorcars & speed (although much more time is spent showing him in hiscanary-coloured gypsy cart). As such, it is a fine introduction to ToadHall, but one can only wonder what Disney would have done with afeature length animated film that included the bucolic charm of thenovel, the glories of the Riverbank & the terrors of the Wild Wood aswell as the high jinks. The production values are excellent, withnarration by the inimitable Basil Rathbone, and Eric Blore & J. PatO'Malley obviously have a high time voicing the wanton Toad and hisequine pal Cyril Proudbottom, but a true fan of Grahame's originalcreation can't help longing for a little more…

Washington Irving's famous story, THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, comesalive in the second half of the movie. Bing Crosby's singing narrationand the top-notch animation tell a tale of humor and genuine fright.Ichabod Crane, the pedantic pedagogue, is a triumph of the animators'art, while the film's climax – the ride through the Hollow & theappearance of the hideous Hessian – is a celebration of pacing andstylistic understatement. Based on material much shorter thanGrahame's, the plot fits into the half hour time slot more easily andstill has the luxury of introducing a wholly original & hilarious minorcharacter in the chubby little Tilda, who completely steals the dancingsequence. It is the Horseman, however, who should remain the longest inthe viewer's uneasy dreams – the embodiment of every Halloweennightmare.

5) Excellent feature comprising of 2 half-hour segments. The animation isfirst rate, particularly on Ichabod’s journey home through the woods,whichis the highlight of the film. The quality of the direction andstorytellingis excellent, and though both are quite short, they are remarkably conciseand fully formed, and actually feel like they are both feature length.Theyare both highly atmospheric, and the characterisations are top-notch.Thereare some aspects of the film which have dated it somewhat, but you getpastthat soon enough. This film is also notable for it’s fine use of colour.Anyone with an interest in animation should see this film.

6) The Disney animators were still at the height of their genius when they madethis double featurette based on classic American folklore. The clever humorand artful animation brighten both tales, but it’s likely to be the Ichabodtale based on "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" that you’re going toremember…especially for that final confrontation of the frightened Ichabodwith the Headless Horseman! And there hasn’t been a funnier minor characterin a Disney film than the chubby Tilda who finds herself being whirled ontothe dance floor by Bram Bones when he seeks revenge on Ichabod. Thissequence is one of the funniest ever in a Disney film and is followed by thepayoff "fright" sequence as Ichabod makes his way home after theparty.

The toad story is a bit ponderous but is also brightened by clever animationand bits of humor with some droll voice overs supplied by Eric Blore and PatO’Malley.

It’s pure fantasy with all the Disney magic on hand. And that finalencounter with the Headless Horseman makes this ideal for viewing onHalloween!

7) Having never seen ‘Mr. Toad’, I can only comment on the ‘Legend of SleepyHollow’, having seen it many times as a child when ‘Disney’s WonderfulWorld’ was running on the CBC. This has got to be some of the greatest workof Walt Disney. Washington Irving’s original story is closely followed,unlike Tim Burton’s 1999 version (still an awesome movie in its own right).The sequence involving Ichabod Crane’s terrifying ride through the woods isundoubtedly the best, from the toads croaking ‘Ichabod’ to the HeadlessHorseman chasing Ichabod through the woods – it’s alternately funny andfrightening. It always appeared at Halloween on the Disney show, and I can’tremember ever missing it.

Generally underrated, or at least relatively overlooked, The Adventuresof Ichabod and Mr. Toad is a favorite of mine that just keeps gettingbetter with each viewing. I've seen it probably ten times over theyears, yet I keep noticing subtle visual jokes and layers of meaningthat I previously missed. For just one example, only on this lastviewing did I finally notice the weasel sleeping in Toad Hall who issupported by a woman in a painting. My appreciation of the beautifulanimation in general also seems to grow with each viewing.

The film consists of two halves, the first a Disneyfied version ofKenneth Grahame's "Wind in the Willows", the second a Disneyfiedversion of Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". Whileboth can be read as light, often surreal, sometimes goofy, andalways-funny stories (and hence kids, young and old–time for me toraise my hand–can appreciate them), adults can easily read various"deeper" meanings into the tales.

For example, Mr. Toad's fickle manias and the predicament they lead tocould be seen as a criticism of consumerism. The Legend of SleepyHollow could be read as an exemplification of the value of Taoist orZen-Buddhist mindfulness and "going with the flow"–as well as awarning about letting delusions take hold instead. This isn't to saythat these interpretations were intended by Grahame, Irving, orDisney's artists, or that they're the "right" interpretations, justthat they're made possible and plausible by the depth of the material.

9) Two classic works of children's' literature are presented in thisanimated double-header from the Disney folks. First up is a splendidadaptation of The Wind In The Willows (by Kenneth Grahame); the secondhalf features a slightly tedious but climactically quite creepyrendition of The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow (by Washington Irving). Fromthe point-of-view of animation, the film is absolutely gorgeous, withrichly designed characters and places and seamless movement. From thepoint-of-view of entertainment, the film is generally charming despitelosing its way during the mid-section of the Sleepy Hollow segment.

Toad of Toad Hall is an extravagant creature whose obsessive interestin adventurous pursuits threatens to cost him his stately home. Hisfriends Ratty, Mole and Badger try to help him put his affairs inorder, but to little avail. When Toad is falsely imprisoned for cartheft, Toad Hall falls into the hands of a bunch of unscrupulousweasels and the devious Mr Winky. Reinstating Toad Hall to its rightfulowner rests on the heroes snatching a deed that proves Toad'sinnocence….

Ichabod Crane, an odd-looking school master, arrives in the peacefulcommunity of Sleepy Hollow to begin work in the local school. Hecatches the eye of the village beauty Katrina, but this proves mightyirritating for the local hunk Brom Bones. After trying various schemesto get rid of Ichabod, Brom finally hits upon the idea of scaring himout of town by telling the story of the Headless Horseman that roamsthe nearby woods. Then one night, poor Ichabod personally comes face toface with the ghostly horseman….

Each section is narrated by a big star – the Mr Toad half isbrilliantly told by Basil Rathbone, while Bing Crosby uses hissoothing, absorbing tone to narrate the Ichabod Crane section. OverallThe Wind In The Willows part is the better of the two sections. It hasmany fabulously funny touches (Cyril, the Yorkshire accented horse, inparticular has some great moments) and is vibrantly exciting. Theclimax, in which the heroes attempt to seize a deed that proves Toad asthe rightful owner of Toad Hall, contains moments that are ingeniouslyfunny in the best Disney tradition. The Sleepy Hollow section startspromisingly, but the mid-section becomes repetitive and tedious. Havingsaid that, the finale in which Ichabod flees from the Headless Horsemanis absolutely great. The crescendo of dramatic music and the forebodingcolours and forest silhouettes make the sequence genuinelyhair-raising. On the whole, The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr Toad is anentertaining and pleasing-to-the-eye film with a sufficient variety ofpleasures to keep kids and adults alike engrossed.

10) I remember seeing this compilation feature many times on the DisneyChannel.The Wind in the Willows segment is great fun although a great deal of thebook is ignored. The Sleepy Hollow segment, on the other hand, isawesome!The scenes when Ichabod is desperately trying to survive his journeythroughthe Hollow is one of my favorite animated sequences of alltime.

By the way, I haven’t yet seen Tim Burton’s take on the story, but it willtake a lot to outdo this version!

• The four songs included in the film were originally intended for an M-G-M Technicolor musical version of “Huckleberry Finn” which was supposed to have been filmed in 1952, but was never made. It was supposed to have starred Dean Stockwell as Huck, William Warfield (fresh from his triumph as Joe in Show Boat (1951)) as Jim, and Gene Kelly and Danny Kaye as the two con men.

• Anachronisms: Just before Huck and Jim jump off the riverboat, Huck puts on his pants. We hear a “snap” as he snaps his pants. He then zips up his zipper. Neither snap fasteners or zippers were in use at the time (1851).

• MGM bought the rights to Mark Twain’s novel specifically for Mickey Rooney.
• When the con-men Walter Connolly and William Frawley advertise “Romeo & Juliet” as the play they were to present, they say it stars “David Garrick” and “Mrs. ‘Sarah Kemble Siddons’”, two of the most famous British actors of the 18th century. David Garrick and Sarah Kemble Siddons were both long dead by the year in which “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is supposed to take place.
• Rex Ingram, playing Jim, was actually born on a riverboat on the Mississippi River.

2) I've added a little to my review, which was originally posted on May4th, 2006. Thank you to the 4 out of 6 people who said they found myoriginal review helpful. You'll see my additions starting about a thirdof the way down: I re-read Mark Twain's novel this week, and borrowedthis movie version yesterday from my public library. I have justwatched it and have to say that it is one of the most thoroughdistortions of HUCKLEBERRY FINN ever filmed. The novel is unambiguouslyanti-slavery. When you read the book you are supposed to be horrifiedthat Huck doesn't actually realize he's doing the morally right thingby helping Jim escape slavery. The movie constantly emphasizes thatHuck is right to be ashamed that he's helping Jim. M-G-M was so afraidof offending the bigoted part of its audience that it turned Twain'sirony upside-down. The studio dispensed with Twain's dialogue in allbut the most fleeting moments and substituted tepid bits of business.Key revelations are placed way too early. There is a courtroom scene inthe movie while in the book there is not even a trial. None of this wasdone to make it a better movie. All of it was done to make everythingsafe for M-G-M. Mickey Rooney as Huck and Walter Connolly as theDauphin give stand-out performances, but the dialogue, which surelyisn't Twain's for more than a millisecond, serves them poorly. RexIngram's performance as Jim would have been inspiring if Twain's wordswere left intact. Instead he's reduced to interpreting lines from amelodrama having absolutely nothing to do with the towering work ofliterature this movie pretends to have as its source. Finally, M-G-M isnot entirely to blame for this awful distortion. The blame rests onAmerica's profound history of racism; a history Mark Twain wanted us toconfront; a history deliberately, decidedly ignored in this outrageousrevision of his art. HERE'S the racism of this movie: While, near theend of the novel, Jim is put in chains because of the simple fact thathe is a runaway slave, the movie justifies Jim's imprisonment by havingthe mob think Jim has murdered Huck. Any mob would be somewhatjustified in capturing and jailing a man who is thought to havemurdered a child. But in the book, the people who put Jim in chainsthink he is a different runaway slave. They put him in chains simplybecause he's been turned in for a reward. The people who have turnedhim in (the Duke and the Dauphin) have never known that Jim has beenaccused of murder. This is because the Duke and the Dauphin don't knowwhere Huck and Jim come from. The Duke and the Dauphin want money, sothey print up a false ad with a description of Jim and plaster it onbillboards saying he's a runaway slave. The Duke and the Dauphin arenot even certain he actually is a runaway slave. Jim is put in chainsby people who have never heard that he's suspected of murder.Hollywood, afraid to remind people of what their ancestors actuallydid, makes the lynch mob rather sympathetic. HERE'S a distortion ofTwain's book. Early in the book, Jim and Huck discover a shack whichhas been destroyed in a flood. There's a dead man in there. Both Jimand Huck know the body is someone who's been shot. But only Jim seesthe face. He tells Huck not to look. This body is not mentioned againuntil the second-to-last paragraph of the entire novel, when Jim, whohas just learned that he's been freed in his late owner Miss Watson'swill, tells Huck that the dead man in the shack was his father. Themovie, however, has Jim confess to Huck, about two scenes after thescene in which they find the body, that he didn't tell Huck at firstbecause he didn't want Huck to stop helping him run away. Huck thengets angry at Jim and calls him a false friend for not telling him. Inthe novel, Jim does not say why he didn't tell Huck at first and hecertainly offers no apology, as he does in the movie. Huck does notcall Jim a false friend in the novel. What happens in the finalparagraph (which comes just after Huck learns that the dead man was hisfather) is that Huck tells us that he's going to head West to avoidAunt Sally's plan to adopt him. We are not told if he's mad at Jim fortaking him down the river without telling him his father's dead.Because we know Huck had been running away from his abusive father andyet still loved him, we can assume his world was shattered when helearned his father was dead. So, what does Depression-era Hollywood dowith a story which ends with its main character determined to get awayfrom everybody he's ever known? It has him, in the last scene in themovie, promising Aunt Sally he'll be good. He's so good, in fact, thathe's just persuaded her, one scene earlier, to believe him when hetells her that slavery is wrong (which he never says in the book)andthat Jim should be freed. She agrees to free him, in this movie, ifHuck promises to do his schoolwork and not smoke and always to wear hisshoes. He promises to do all that. The scene ends cutely with Hucksecretly slipping his shoes off. This is not merely a cute ending. Thisis an ending designed to counter Twain's other point, which is thatsociety is deeply corrupt and forces creatures of nature, such as Huck,to live in a state of perpetual flight.

3) Like any literary adaptation, this film throws out many scenes andchanges others around. As a film, though, it works perfectly. Comparingit to the 1960 version, the reputation of the 1930s as the golden ageof Hollywood is exemplified in this picture. Although the film andediting techniques were primitive at this point, the humour is funny,the characters click, and the drama is captivating. I'm not sure whythis and the 1960 leave out the scene where Huck convinces Jim he'sdreamt them separating in the fog, since its one of the most importantin the novel. In any case, Jim's plight is tragic, and makes oneshudder to think of the many people that had to be subjected to theinstitution of slavery. Rex Ingram gives a great performance, and hisbest scene may be in the jail, right before the lynch mob burststhrough the door. "Somebody help me!" he cries. Amazing.

It should also be noted that Clara Blandickgives an outstandingperformance as Miss Watson. Mickey Rooney is okay as Huck, but hisacting style hasn't aged as well as the others in the film. Overall, Ihighly recommend this as great entertainment and a great film.

8/10

4) Recommended for family entertainment, "The Adventures of HuckleberryFinn" showcases the talents of "Mickey Rooney" and shows why he hasbeen such a beloved actor for so many years.

Mickey Rooney stars as the title character, according to the book about13 years old. Rooney was already past 18, but with his short statureand boyish face he looks exactly the part of young mischievous boy whomwe see smoking his pipe and walking barefoot through the dust.

Based on Mark Twain's book of the same name, it is as closely adaptedas the time constraints and censorship would allow. The generalsubstance of the novel is left intact with a few details changed forthe sake of dramatic license; otherwise it is well adapted as Iremember from my recent re-reading of the novel.

Mickey Rooney is perfect in his portrayal of Huck, with his mischievousways and always with a twinkle in his eye. Rex Ingram makes athoughtful "Jim" whose quiet dignity makes Huck learn to accept him asa man, not just a piece of property to be owned.

The movie is quite funny and will become a favorite of the whole familywith its wholesome characters and situations. If you get a chance tosee it, I think you will agree that this is real entertainment thateveryone can enjoy.

5) fr muffinheuer: >…Mickey Rooney simply stated is the best actor thathas ever lived…<

Um, no, he isn't. There are many others who far outshine him, but justbecause MGM kept partnering him in the "hey kids, let's put on a show!"movies, he just kept going. A far better kid actor was FreddieBartholomew, who left movies when it was right to do so. Rooney justkept being in the same type of movie, and they got very dated veryquickly.

He was good in "Captains Courageous" as Dan, and as Homer in "The HumanComedy" and somewhat fair in "It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world", butoverall, just average.

Now that he spouts the studio line on Judy Garland and the way thestudio got her addicted to drugs, he's just a former kid star whodidn't age well.

6) Most novels are long enough to require considerable editing to makethem fit into the usual 90 minute format that Hollywood preferred inthe days of 1939. What to leave out is always a problem. Someone'sfavourite scene is sure to be lost, whatever the treatment writers do.Mark Twain' classic seems to have always been troublesome forHollywood. Put in too much and someone is sure to scream "racist";Leave out too much and someone else is going to scream "chicken"! Thisversion strikes a rather nice balance, but of course it didn't pleaseeveryone. Personally, I feel that leaving out Tom Sawyer is all to thegood. His antics always seemed farcical to me. The comedy that remainsin this version is not exaggerated, but is rather subtle. The realdefect is that the film proceeds smoothly for about the firsttwo-thirds, up to the time Huck is bitten by the snake. After that,everything is rushed and choppily edited. It makes for a disappointingfinish. I admit, though, that the lynch mob scene, with Jim cowering inthe jail as the mob batters down the jail door is exciting. If you areunfamiliar with both novel and film, I'll let you find out how Hucksaves Jim! This cast does an excellent job of presenting Mark Twain'scharacters. After all, MGM had probably the best stable of characteractors in 1939 of all the studios. Rex Ingram stands out as "Jim", butMickey Rooney truly was born to play "Huck". Charges that the subtlechanges to Mark Twain's original, so far as the slave Jim and theattitudes toward him are portrayed, mark this film as "racist" strikeme as absurd. Efforts to bar the film, sometimes even the novel, hereand there, are just Political Correctness run amok. Slavery was part ofAmerican Life in the time frame of the story, and attitudes varied fromregion to region. This is accurately reflected in both film and novel.Jim, too, get s sympathetic treatment in both. Where's the "racism"?

7) Mickey Rooney dropped his Andy Hardy gimmicks (at last) to give a fineperformance in 'The adventures of Huckleberry Finn'. He was partneredwith Rex Ingram who had just won fame in 'The green pastures'.

Hugo Butler wrote a straightforward script from Mark Twain'smasterpiece, which had been previously filmed in 1920 and 1931 byParamount studios. The script unfortunately does not do a great justiceto the original novel.

It's delightful the way Rooney's character acts in the beginning of thefilm smoking and skipping school, but when he helps Jim to escape allthat charming stuff has to be thrown out of the window and HuckleberryFinn must at last wake up to reality.

I believe that this film was well appropriate for the time zone inwhich it was created.

When viewing this movie, one needs to place themselves in a timecapsule so to speak. It is a movie based on a child's story.

I enjoy Mickey Rooney, and was sorry to hear of his passing aroundDecember 2006. He shows determinant energy in his acting on this film.Rex Ingram, although, this movie placed him in a very stereotypic role,he put his all into it.

The movie had several great actors, and great areas, I think anyone whoviews it through the eyes of a child, will truly enjoy it.

9) This movie is perfect for the nations #1 box office star of 1939. Nowonder the public adored him! Mickey Rooney simply stated is the bestactor that has ever lived. Mickey gives a down to earth and lovelyperformance.!!! The movie is very true to the book. If you loved thebook, you will love this movie. It’s wonderful!!!!!! Another greatmovie that was perfect for Mickey Rooney was Young Tom Edison. If youlove him as Huck, then check out Young Tom Edison! Another Blockbusterperformance by the MASTER performer. Mickey Rooney, may you live on inthe hearts of all who love you! Also for your Rooney fans check outBoy’s Town and The Human Comedy. The Andy Hardy series are alsoterrific God Bless you, and I love you Mickey!

This film would be great for any family. It is less restricted than theElijah Wood version and more accurate in that respect. The N word isused as it was during the those times. The political correctness thatkeeps it out of modern films is not present here. That is not to saythat the word is appropriate in modern times. It is to say that weshould recognize how it was used in the past. Political correctness canbe carried too far.

So, if you want an excellent version of the Huckleberry Finn film, thisfilm is a must. It has just become available on Amazon.com

2) This is a brilliant adaptation of the classic novel, especially by telemoviestandards. It isn’t at all schmaltsy or patronizing. The leads of PatrickDay, Jim Dale and Barnard Hughes give life and personality to theircharacters very well. And it certainly captures both the humor and sharpsocial commentary of the novel excellently.

<Spoiler warning.>

My only disappointment with this version is that Huck sounds a little bittoo well-educated and formal for what is essentially a 19th century "streetkid" with a minimum amount of formal education, even though the essential"street smarts" and sympathetic nature of the character are preserved. Andalso, the final big con scheme is totally deleted. (They probably ran outof time and money). The over-all pacing is also a tad slow. (By the way, Isaw this as a video version which was apparently edited down from anoriginal mini-series).

I still like the 1993 version of the story the best, but this is a veryclose second in my estimation.

3) I’ve never seen such attention to detail. However, I got the feelingthat many scenes were left on the cutting room floor that would havemade the movie even better. For instance, the feuding family that wasafter Buck could have been included. That storyline told so much aboutTwain’s take on the senselessness of war. Also, the cast wasincredible. It seemed that with every turn of the page, I was seeinganother familiar Hollywood face, from Emma Thompson, to Butterfly Mc-Queen, to Lillian Gish. My God, the casting was just remarkable. YoungPatrick Day was the most perfectly cast of all. I commend PBS on aspectacular accomplishment. I would love to see it shown more often.

4) Ernest Hemingway once said that all American literature began with"Huckleberry Finn." A bit of an exaggeration from Papa, but there wascertainly nothing like "Huckleberry Finn" before it came along. Twain'snovel was uniquely uncompromising. At the very beginning, Huck's fathershakes a jug of booze and, when asked if there's anything left in it,replies that there ought to be enough left for one more case of theDTs.

It's hard to imagine that this was ever a popular children's story,although all adults seem convinced that it is — or was. More likelyit's a keen projection of grown-up escape fantasies. "They're trying'to civilize me again, Jim. Let's go!" I haven't read the novel in yearsbut this is about as close an adaptation as we're likely to see. Thenovel, the film, and the hero are utterly bereft of sentimentality. Thestory spares no one and no ideology. The irony — Huck is the naivenarrator with no sense of humor — cuts into everything and leaves itbleeding, from slavery to abolitionists — Evangelical Christians,European royalty, bourgeois values, rustic simplicity, the fine arts,populism, the traps of tradition.

The funniest episode in the film involves Richard Kiley as thesanctimonious and brain-dead head of the middle-class Grangerfordfamily, involved in a feud with the Shepherdsons. Kiley's performanceis priceless. After saying grace at the family table, he dabs at hisnose and sniffs as he presents Huck with some examples of his dear,departed daughter's crayon art works. The first is a dreadful child'sdrawing called something like, "The Weeping Willow and Me, Alas." Theother is the last work of poor Emiline's, a wretched sketch of a womanflying on wings. Huck asks: "It's very nice, sir, but why does the ladyhave six arms?" On the verge of breaking down, Kiley replies: "DearEmiline tried them all to see which pair looked best but she was takenfrom us before she could decide." I simply can't see a twelve-year-oldkid finding that as funny as I do.

Nice set design, location shooting, acting, and adherence to the sourcehave turned this often soppy story into a well executed TV movie. Itwas shown in 1985, so Jim remains "Nigger Jim" instead of "###### Jim."It wasn't until 1995 that Detective Fuhrman in the O. J. Simpson trialmade the N word unspeakable outside the proper social borders. But I'mglad because if anything would completely wreck a satire like"Huckleberry Finn", it's political correctness. It would lose half itsimpact. Mrs. Loftus wouldn't be able to tell that Huck was a boydisguised as a girl because of the way he claps his legs together(instead of spreading them) to catch a fruit in his lap.

Twain left off writing the novel for some time before taking it upagain, and it shows because the last fifth or so doesn't quite jibewith the unsparing beginning. And the truth is that the story really isepisodic, Huck and Jim having one adventure after another on their tripdown the Mississippi. There is, however, at least two importantfeatures that maintain continuity. One is the relationship between Huckand Jim, and the other is Huck's rebellion against the corruptingeffects of what he calls "civilization", and the film takes care ofboth of these questions in a more or less satisfying way.

One of the Grangerford sons, a boy of about Huck's age, tells him thatthe Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons are in a feud, and when Huck askswhat a "feud" is, the other boy explains it this way. One man killsanother. Then the brother of the dead man kills the first man. Then thecousins chip in, and pretty soon all the relatives are killing oneanother. And then when they're all dead and nobody is left, the feud isover. You know something? Maybe it's not just children that won't getthe irony. I can think of some adults who might profit from a scrutinyof the moral message.

5) This film will delight both childern and adults alike !! It’s based on theclassic novel by Mark Twain and has a all-star cast. Huck, a rambunctiousboy adventurer chafing under the bonds of civilization, escapes hishumdrumworld and his selfish, plotting father by sailing a raft down theMississippi River. Accompanying him are his friends Tom Sawyer and Jim, aslave running away from being sold. Together they strike a bond offriendship that takes them through adventures. It’s reallygood.

6) I just finished watching this film and i loved it, i love this story buttheway that it was portrayed in this paticular film version waswonderful.I loved the way that Patric Day[huck finn] and Sam-Art Williams[jim]interacted throughout the movie, Patric Day brought a great deal to thecharacter of Huck which can only be matched by that of Elijah Wood in the1993 version that did not follow the same story, the blue paint scene wasapaticular favorite of mine because it brought a great deal of comic valuetothe play which only complimented Mark Twain’s original script. This storyfills you with so many different emotions i sometimes don’t know weathertolaugh or cry, its a masterpiece.

• Tom Sawyer has just one shot in this version of the film where he yells “Go for the glory!”, even though he is a major character in Mark Twain’s book. The actor who says “Go for the glory, Huck!” at 03:43 on the DVD is Danny Tamberelli who is listed in the end credits as playing “Ben Rodgers”. At 03:45, another boy says “Ya, go for the glory”, but Tom Sawyer, who has a large roll in the ending of the book that is not in the film, does not appear in the end credits.
• Director Cameo: [Stephen Sommers] the man silhouetted against the fog banging a pot at 39:27 on the DVD.
• The water at the waterfall had to be pumped in as the water source isn’t as free-flowing as it was in the past, and can be visited by tourists today at Owen’s Creek on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi.
• The movie contains no digital effects.
• No sound stages were used in this movie.
• “Pap Finn”’s belch was added in later to be louder. Writer/Director Stephen Sommers says Ron Perlman, the actor who plays Pap Finn, “wasn’t really good at belching”.

• Revealing mistakes: When Huck’s father is carrying Huck out of the bedroom over his shoulder (at 11:51 to 12:01), you can see a sprinkler head on the ceiling of the hallway. The DVD resolution is inadequate to differentiate between its being a sprinkler head or a capped-off gas light pipe protruding down from a round base.
• Continuity: Huck’s raft is rammed (at 41:49) by a ship with a high bow, designed for rough/open seas. But when the camera angle changes, we see a typical Mississippi paddle steamer with the characteristically low bow, steaming by the wreckage.
• Anachronisms: When Huck Finn is walking with Billy Grangerford (at 45:05 to 45:07) to a brick outbuilding where a new slave is chained, you can see the brake lights of a blue mini van in the bottom left quarter of the screen – look to the left of the tree trunk, under the shrubbery.

• Continuity: When Pap Finn is carrying Huck over his shoulder, down the stairs, we see (at 12:05) looking down from the second floor that the stair landing has a 2-candle sconce on its right wall and its left wall. At 12:11 looking up from the first floor there is no sconce on the right wall of the landing.

2) I consider this film to be one of the top five best versions of aclassic children’s story. In some film adaptations, you get theimpression the writer has put the characters on pedestals, and theactors are playing them like they’re afraid of falling off. This filmisn’t like that at all.

When I was going to see this film, I thought "I bet they chicken out ofthe feud scene, and I bet they have Huck say something at the end like’Y'know, I sorta had a funny feeling my whole life slavery’s actually avery bad thing’ (or something equally corny)". I’m happy to say I waswrong on both accounts. The feud scene is handled very intelligentlyfor a family movie, capturing the emotion without resorting to SAVINGPRIVATE RYAN-style blood & guts (which I don’t think would suit aworld-famous children’s story). And the slavery issue is dealt withhead-on, being one of the prime dramatic themes of the story. One of myfavorite moments is when Huck is asked by some river folk whether thecompanion on his raft is black or white. Huch thinks for a moment, andthen replies "He’s white!" That scene makes up for the famous letterwriting scene in the novel, which other versions have included.

Elijah Wood really makes his character shine with impish personalityand a casual chatting delivery (and this is still my all-time favoriterole of his). He is ably supported by Ron Perlman as Pa, as well asJason Robards & Robbie Coltrane as the rascally King & Duke. Heck, evenAnne Heche looks classy. I am very impressed with a film when it does ascene which I’d actually forgotten about, in this case it was the"Missy Finn" bit. My only disappointment was that Tom Sawyer gotreduced to a one-line cameo at the beginning (and it doesn’t handle anyrevivalist preaching satire).

FYI, I haven’t seen the Mickey Rooney, Jackie Coogan or Jeff Eastversions yet, but this one is going to be hard to beat. The only otherfilms that I’ve seen which come close to this are the Ted Turner &Disney versions of TREASURE ISLAND, and David Lean’s OLIVER TWIST. Alsothe later PETER PAN (2003) is right on par with this in excellentclassic storytelling.

3) I have read the popular novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" byMark Twain and I found it to be an instant classic and a bookdefinitely worth my time. When it comes to movie adaptations, I've seenvery few. The 1993 version titled "The Adventures of Huck Finn" stars ayoung Elijah Wood as Huckleberry and Courtney B. Vance as Jim and alsofeatured in the cast are some other well-known faces such as RonPerlman, Jason Robards, Robbie Coltrane, and James Gammon. Overall,with this star-laden cast, the movie is quite entertaining in its ownway. Like other films I can think of, it's beginning made little senseand happened a little too suddenly with no room for proper pacing ordevelopment. But once this had gone by, I did find myself enjoying themovie quite a bit.

Wood was, and still is a fine young actor and his performance asHuckleberry was noteworthy. I did like Courney B. Vance's performanceas Jim and I think he rendered and portrayed the character withabsolute perfection. After him, I did like Jason Robards and RobbieColtrane as the bumbling con artists who call themselves the king andthe duke. Ron Perlman was also a good choice to play Huckleberry'sderanged father, unfortunately he wasn't given enough screen time toshow his quintessential talents for the role and he wasn't quiteinvolved in the story enough as he was in the book.

One thing that did disappoint me was that the screenwriters wrote outthe character of Tom Sawyer, probably due to concern of containing toomany characters for a 108-minute film. So I can understand thefilmmakers' decision and accept it. Maybe the inclusion would haveslowed the movie down, maybe not. But all and all, I did very muchenjoy "The Adventures of Huck Finn" and although it is not a perfectadaptation of Mark Twain's excellent book, I still enjoyed it.

4) True, Elijah Wood may not match the look and feel of the characterTwainhad in mind, but in this movie he works well as a young boy learning thatfriendship, love, and human rights mean more than tradition.Jim, a wise but uneducated runaway slave longs to find freedom so hecanearn enough money to buy his family. Huck, a street-smart kid runningawayfrom his abusive father, is torn between breaking the law or betraying afreind. Which is the greater crime?Wood’s age is put to good use in allowing more immaturity in thecharacter. He can’t understand why he can’t bring himself to turn Jim in,even though he knows it’s the right thing to do. In a heart-wrenchingscenein which Huck’s selfishness causes Jim to be whipped by a cruel overseer,Huck tries to convince himself that it wasn’t his fault, only to realizehowmuch he and Jim actually love and need each other. All of this takes usfull-speed into an emotional climax that is quite honestly the best endingof any movie I have ever seen.Huck Finn is perfect.

5) I have read the novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and now watchedthe move Huck Finn by Elijah Wood. I feel that this is a great moviefor a younger child who likes adventure novels and whose parents arewilling to watch the movie with them to help them interpret key parts.It teaches many values of life, and one of the most important told byJim the slave himself was to not always think that something is alwaysright just because other people tell you it is. It is a good movie andI would recommend it to young children and adults alike especiallyafter reading the novel.

The novel by Mark Twain shows the relationship between a young whiteuncivilized white boy and a black runaway slave named Jim. Huck isliving with a Widow and he likes to go on adventures and play pretendgames with his friends especially his one friend Tom who has quite theimagination. Huck’s harsh "Pap" comes to get him because Judge Thatcheshas a large lump sum of money that is supposed to be Huck’s someday andhe is after the money. He takes him to a secluded log cabin in themiddle of the woods and Huck has to live with his alcoholic dad for allthis time and he treats Huck Finn poorly.

Eventually Huck finds a way to escape and he takes a boat and gets toan island where people seldom visit. He finds Jim who is the slave ofthe widow where Huck was previously residing. Jim tells him the secretthat he ran away because he didn’t want to be sold into slavery intothe South he is on a hunt for freedom and wants to buy back his family.So Huck agrees to help Jim on his journey to Cairo and then go back upthe river to the free states and earn money to buy his family back fromslavery.

In this novel Huck learns that just because the majority of people aredoing something that it doesn’t mean that it is the right thing to do.He learns that African Americans are people too and the color of theirskin doesn’t change that. He learns that Jim has feelings for hisfamily and he sees just how much Jim cares for him when he shows howexcited he is to see Huck. The movie shows all of the main scenes withsome twists to keep the viewers attention and understanding, but itstill portrays the same feelings and morals. Overall this is a greatnovel and movie and I recommend both to anyone.

6) I am a big Mark Twain fan. I love his writing, his stories, and hishumor. I used to watch this movie when I was a kid, and I recentlyrented it for old time’s sake and fell in love with it all over again.If you’re looking for a movie that’s parallel to Mark Twain’s novel,this isn’t it. But that doesn’t mean that this movie isn’t fun-loving,creative, entertaining, and an overall great movie. I love this movie.I think it’s great for kids as well as adults. It’s an adventurous taleof freedom and friendship that leaves you smiling in the end andrewinding the movie with a slight sigh of wistfulness. I recommend thismovie to a wide range – but not to someone who’s using it instead ofreading the book or expecting it to to BE the book. It isn’t. It’ssomething different, but still just as wonderful as it should be.

7) At first i wasn’t to sure about the movie. It seemed boring and a bitlittle kiddish. But as the movie went on i realized how much i reallyliked it. 12 year old Elijah Wood plays the role of Huck Finn amotherless boy who is taken in by a sweet widow and her friend. Thewidow’s slave, Jim, and Huck are close friends. So when Huck fakes hisdeath and Jim is accused of his murder, the two of make for the freestates by taking a raft down the Mississippi river. There is MUCH moreto the movie so you will have to watch it for yourself to find out whathappens to Jim and Huck on their adventures down the Mighty Missip.(The movie contains a few swear word and some intense moments thatmight not be suitable for children under the age of

The movie does great at showing the hardships of slavery, yet throwing intons of humor, adventures(duh), and morals. Great performances allaround,especially by Courtney B. Vance,Robbie Coltrane, and Elijah Wood.Suitablyfilmed on the missisippi river, the gorgeous landscape provides abeautifulbackdrop for the story of freedom, frineds, and new beginings.Bottom line: its cool- something grandmas and 13 year-olds agreeon.

9) This is definitely one of my favourite movies, and although I am inclinedtobe a tad biased as Elijah Wood is one of my favourite actors, I can tellyouthat that has nothing to do with it. The essence of Mark Twain is alwayspresent in this film, which comes from the mastermind of the "Mummy"movies.Elijah Wood plays the role of Huck Finn superbly, his performance is soaccurate that avid Twain readers will not be offended. Courtney B. Vancealso plays the role of the lovable crook "Jim" – the two make an unlikelybut unforgettable pair. This movie will make you cry and make you laugh. Iwill not bother recommending it to the fans of Mark Twain out there -because there is no doubt that they have already seen it several times!Buteven if you have never read a sentence Mr Twain has written, you will lovethis movie – you’d have to be pretty cold-hearted not to.

10) I’m sorry but your mistaken. Huck Finn is not at all children’s story.Twain uses satire throughout the novel to deliver very serious messages.Satire makes on look at themselves and change. You may have thought thisbecause Tom Sawyer is children’s novel, but Huck Finn is a totallydifferenttype of book.

A grandmother laments some plumbing and other problems, but appearing as ifby magic through the front door and in his work outfit, is our Reg. "THIS"he announces, "is a job for HANDYMAN!"

Yeah, well it plays better than it sounds. Top littleshort!

In the Fifties, Derek was the dashingly good-looking young hero ofadventure films, rated by his teenage female fans as a 10 on the scaleof male beauty…

In "The Adventures of Hajji Baba," Derek helps an insolent princess –disguised as a boy – on her way to marry a distant powerful prince(Paul Picerni) against the wishes of her father… Once they arrive tomeet him, in the desert, they soon discover he is a rogue, whose plansfor marriage are purely for one ambitious purpose… Hajji Baba thenrebels against the prince, rescuing and winning the heart of thebeautiful princess by believing in himself…

The glamorous Elaine Stewart looked cool, lush and marvelous as thespoiled selfish cruel princess who walks through the entire motionpicture expressing her bad temper, and silencing everyone by threat…

By the early Seventies and despite public interest in her, Stewart’scareer did not fulfill its potential… Her phase was over, but she hadcertainly proved that she could be a star and, 35 years later, fans ofFifties’ movies are still enamored of her…

2) Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke as the savage leader of a band of scantilyclad, horse back riding amazon warriors.

One very mean princess.

A trick horse.

Arab barbers.

Harem girls.

Camels, donkeys and lots of horses.

Desert sands, rugged mountains, oasis.

Colorful wardrobes of many brilliant colors.

All of this set to the wonderful and haunting lyrics of Nat King Cole.

3) The Adventures of Hajji Baba is remotely based on the book by a Britishwriter James Morier who was actually raised in a harem and later served asan English diplomat at the court of the sultan of Iran in the first part ofthe 19th century. The book called The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahanenjoyed quite a success at the time of its release in 1824 not only inEngland but also in Iran, the fact that encouraged the author to write asequel called The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan in England where ourhero is sent to learn its customs and way of life. This film version hasn’t borrowed much from the book except perhaps thename of the main character – Hajji Baba (played by John Derek) and hisprofession – the barber whose banal, but sweet story we follow as he runs ofwith a beautiful but very capricious princess Fawzia (Elaine Stewart) whotries to escape from marriage to a man she isn’t really crazy about which isimposed by her authoritative father Khalif (Donald Randolph) who is notparticularly inclined to consider his daughter’s opinion regarding choosingher lifetime partner especially when his power and monetary interests are atstake. But the main Hajji Baba’s interest in helping the fugitive princesslies not in her attractive physical appearances but in a ring with apriceless emerald in it, which she happens to possess and which Hajjihappens to covet. But gradually a struggle ensues inside of our hero’sheart as about the change in the flow of his preferences to the girl insteadof the emerald, which are also fed by the attraction the princess feels eachtime stronger towards the irresistible barber.

While all this internal fight is going on, our heroes come throughnumerous adventures most excitingly dangerous of them being caught by a bandof beautiful women-outlaws several of whom were once Fawzia’s personalservants who managed to escape mainly from princess’ ill temper and promptlyturned into bandits.

Overall Adventures of Hajji Baba is an ultimate what can be called sexand sand adventure comedy with a lot of beautiful women and sand in it allfilmed in larger than life Cinemascope, which somehow covers the films poorstory and is significantly helped by a pleasant title song performed by NatKing Cole which can be heard several times throughout the film – `Hajji,Hajji, Hajji, Hajji, Hajji Baba, Hajji Baba.’ 7/10

4) This is one of those awful 1950s movies that was geared towards theteen drive-in movie crowd. It centers around John Derek as the goofyman-boy who falls in love with the spoiled princess and must rescue herfrom the ambitious and evil sultan that wants to marry her. This moviehas lots of shots of John Derek flexing his muscles and lookingboyishly cute for the camera close-ups. Fortunately, it also featureslots of 1950s beauties in full make-up and with 1950s hair stylesriding horses and camels in the desert. The lack of realism and thecheesy costumes are good for a few laughs. It seems like some of thecostumes were borrowed from local night-club acts. The turbans are alsogood for a few hoots, as some clearly look like a towel was wrappedaround a hat. It is funny to watch the cute Amazons riding their horsesin the desert sun, considering the fact that all of these pretty ladiesare incredibly pale with milky white skin. In some scenes you cannotice the desert backdrops because of the shadows reflecting off ofthem.

5) This fantasy does indeed look sumptuous, and it is rendered inparticularly eatable colour. But beauty is only skin deep, and this isotherwise a particularly ghastly addition to the endless stream of 50soverdressed and underwritten exotica.

Performances are generally very junior at an Arabian Nights pantomimelevel, although a minor gaggle of lascivious cheesecake ladies in apermanent frenzy does cut a strikingly camp dash and stops things fromgetting too unbearably dull.

Otherwise the most surprisingly redeeming factor is, for once in hiscareer, the presence of John Derek; combining perfectly adequate ErrolFlynn Jr-type physical heroics with an agreeably broad sense ofself-parodic charade; a versatility very rarely displayed in any of hismore 'serious' thespian outings.

6) Let me start off by saying that this movie is awful. The acting, script,anddirecting is some of the worst ever seen and as a result made for a veryfunny movie to laugh at. I didn’t understand the point since i waslaughingto hard at the lite motif which goes, "Hajij, Hajij.." repeatedly. Ittakesa lot of talent to make a movie this horrible.

7) The hauntingly beautiful music sung by Nat King Cole sets this movie apartfrom the other Arabian romance pictures, with the dashingly handsome JohnDerek as its hero. This is a movie that I saw many years ago when I wasapproximately 8 years old, and it has stuck in my memory.

Liked it then… and would like to see it again. Loved the backgroundsinging of Nat King Cole. Cant wait for it to be on video!I would be interested in anyone knowing of a source of the video orwhetherit is available to purchase. Please note we use the PAL system inAustralia.

9) The best thing about this movie is Nat King Cole singing the title song.

10) John Derek was ahead of his time in the movement to uplift the statusof women. This movie is really about women claiming their power and notbeing relegated to a status unequal with men. In his own life, he wasso appreciative of the feminine ideal and he served the women he lovedquite devotedly. I believe that he was more invested in life than inmovies. I believe that he was as handsome as any of the greatswashbucklers, and as good a performer. It is such a grace that heplayed Joshua in the Ten Commandments. Joshua is a true hero of theBible – of the Hebrew and Christian traditions, both. He was an artistof high integrity and profound passion. This movie shows him in one ofhis best moments, career-wise, and in our insatiable appetite forentertainment, let us not overlook his travail in this life.